Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-07-18
Am Amazing Adventure with "a
Tiger.

y
Major White), and as there was no
hurry about the work our party was
as much hunting as a surveying
party. We numbered about thirty
eight people, ten of whom were white
men. Owing to the difficulties of the
country we had no saddle horses but
took along six or eight pack animals,
and each native also had pack to
bear. The very difficulties in the way
OF building line made the country
sportsman's paradise. Twenty years
ago there was more wild and savage
game to the acre in that district than
elsewhere south of Lucknow, but the
march of civilization has doubtless
driven the big wild game away by this
time.
We We're travelling along the north
branch of the Gadevay river-some-
time upon the bank and again a
couple of miles from the water some
times travelling five or six miles day,
and again halting for couple of days
to fish or shoot-when most singu-
lar incident befell me individually. |
had left camp at an early hour in the
morning to fish. While l carried my
rifle with me, | had no intention of
going out OF my way to find game.
On the previous afternoon / had OBJ
served what seemed to be capital
fishing spot in the bend of the river,
and it was to this place / fastened as
| left camp. Some of the native SER
wants were astir, and saw me
Cnf I,rt IL
their services. 1t was pretty thick
jungle between the camp and the |
bend, but at the bend there was a |
clear spot an acre in extent, with a
heavy forest growth and ledge of
rocks for background. As took a |
look around before sitting down on the |
bank to my sport l remarked that it |
was good spot for wild beasts, but as
there was nothing moving | went |
right to work with my fishing tackle. |
Catching frog for bait, | flung in the |
hook, and it wasn't five minutes be-
fore | was meeting with such luck |
that all thoughts of tigers, snakes |
and hyenas were driven out of my
mind.
had landed half dozen good-sized |
fish, and was just then playing larger
one, when slight noise startled me,
and | turned around to see such a
sight as has seldom come to the eyes
of a sportsman. A full-grown tiger
was within five feet of me, playing
with one of the fish. 1t was the last
fish pulled out, and in its dying agonies
it was jumping about on the grass.
Every time it moved the tiger would
reach out paw in playful way, and
once or twice he struck hard enough to
move the fish three or four feet. l tell
you l was badly frightened man,
and all l could was to sit there with
mouth and eyes wide open. The tiger
had crept down from the bluffs and why
he hadn't attacked me was mystery.
He went from fish to fish, turning
them over with his paw, and time and
again brushing me with his tail us he
moved about. My rifle was ten feet
away, leaning against bush, and |
might have been idiot enough to try
to reach it but for a warning. NY
personal servant followed me, to see
what luck had. He came into the
neighborhood while the tiger was
playing with the fish, and, softly
climbing tree, uttered the call of a
bird to attract my attention, and then
sang out:
''Do nothing to provoke the tiger,
master. He is hiloweele, and if you
do not cross him he will go away"
He meant that the spirit of a good
native has been transformed, and it
was clearly the common sense way to
follow his advice. As the beast gave
R1e no attention, turned to the fish
tugging at my line and landed him.
He was of good size and full of vital
ity, and the tiger waited in playful
way until l removed the hook and
threw the fish on the grass Then he
sprang for it as kitten would for a
ball of yarn, and he played with it in
the same way. 1t was laughable in
spite of the circumstances, to witness
his actions. He would run around in
circles as you have seen young dog
do, sometimes almost leaping over
me, and then again he would become
the cat and creep softly forward to
pounce upon one of the fish. Each
one as caught was flung to him, and it
was full half hour before he grew
tired of the sport. | expected he
the native saw the change of demean-
or first and called.
"Master, the hiloweele is going to
play with you. Be as clay in his
power"
The tiger suddenly left the last fish
landed and came stalking up to me,
purring like a cat and acting very
playful. His first move was to worm
his head under my left arm, and, Pm
telling you the solemn truth when
say that smoothed down his fur as if
he had been favorite dog. / had on
a big straw hat, and this he got hold
Of in his teeth, and played with for
ten minutes, or until he had torn it
all into pieces. had no more bait to
fish with, and drew in the line, and
sat there waiting for the tigers next
move. When he had finished the hat
he came over and rubbed against me,
and purred in pleased way, and
l rubbed him with my hand
from nose to tail. | gradually
got over my scare, but was yet
very anxious to know how the affair
would end. The sun was getting yell
up and very hot, and the beast would
soon be seeking his lair. In about
thirty minutes from the time he ap-
peared the tiger began to show a
change of demeanor. He acted nerv
GUS and uneasy, and the hair on his
back stood up at intervals. judged
that he had got the scent Of my SER
want, and such proved to be the case.
/ dared not rise to my feet, but |
made up my mind that if the tiger
attacked me / should make spring
off the bank into the river. 1t was in
tested with crocodiles, but there was
not much choice between being eaten
by beast or saurian. Once the tiger
glared at me and growled, but next